Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - CB Jalen Ramsey - September 17, 2021

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - CB Jalen Ramsey - September 17, 2021
CB Jalen Ramsey
CB Jalen Ramsey
(On why he is so eager to get physical as a cornerback)
“I don't view myself as just a corner. That's just what I've been playing out of necessity of whatever team I've been a part of and how I've been viewed in the league. But I feel like I'm just a defensive back, so (I) could play anywhere on the field and it's just part of my game. That's part of where my impact comes from is also being physical, not just covering guys.”

(On if being a cornerback was always something that he wanted to do)
“It's always been that honestly. Like I said, I have just been on the outside out of necessity and out of game plan whether it was in Jacksonville or whether it was here. They see the value in moving me around a little bit. So, it's been good.”

(On if the role he is playing this year is an extension of what he played last year)
“I guess you could say that. Last year was sprinkled in here and there, but this year it's kind of no boundaries to where I may be during the game. I have no limits to a specific game plan. I don't know where I'm going to be playing each week when I come in here Wednesdays and try to figure out the game plan. It might change Wednesday and Thursday. I don't know. It might change on gameday, I might be asked to do whatever, but I'm always going to be up for it. So, it's different, I would say. To answer your question, it's different than last year, but you could say it's probably an extension of it. I don't know.”

(On how it’s decided where he is going to be during the game)
“Me and (Defensive Coordinator) Raheem (Morris) just talk to each other or sometimes if I feel like being in a certain position, I just tell ‘D Will’ (CB Darious Williams), ‘Let’s switch or let's move’ or whatever the case may be. It’s just game plan.”

(On how important CB Darious Williams’ versatility is to him)
“Very important, very important. Just being able to basically do the same thing I'm doing, honestly. Play inside and outside at times. Him being able to do that allows me to like play more freely and be able to do it more, I guess you could say. But he's really doing the same thing, just different a little bit.”

(On what communication looks like between him and the younger guys)
“Basically, everything you just said is kind of how we speak about it or that's how I do, honestly. This is my sixth year. I've had some success being in the league. I have had some success doing different things, playing different techniques, playing different schemes. So, I try to bring all of that knowledge that I've gained over the years to the other DBs who might not have as much experience as I've had in different schemes. And even sometimes challenging my coaches to maybe look at some things a little bit differently just because of how we may view it, actually being on the field. It's just always open, honest, respectful communication. We figure out what's going to work best and what will be in the game plan and we just go from there.”

(On how he takes it when the other team says they are going to stretch a few of them)
“I don't care. They can try to do whatever they plan on doing and we’re going to do what we do.”

(On if he’s noticing quarterbacks at the line of scrimmage trying to figure out where he is since he moves around so much)
“Not so much last year just because like I said, last year was just sprinkled in there a little bit here and there. Definitely this past week, there was a little bit of that going on. But they can never kind of figure out when I was moving, when I was going to be inside, outside wherever I was at during the game. And honestly, I'm right there with them because I don't know either (laughter). I don't know either. So, yeah, that's fun I guess.”

(On what his mindset is when going in for a tackle and how he finishes it)
“It has been like that for years. Even when I was strictly only playing on the outside, if something came outside, I was hitting in that way. There's a difference between tackling and hitting, and I like to hit. So, it's about leverages, sometimes your size plays the factors into it. So, I've been blessed to have decent size and they make good equipment and good pads and stuff, so it doesn’t hurt or anything like that. So, it's just sometimes a will and a want to, but I mean, whether it's a big hit or just a simple tackle, as long as we get them down that's all that matters, to be honest.”